Recipe Spot

Yes, 'tis the season when costume-clad miniature witches, ghosts, and ghouls run around the neighborhood and ring doorbells asking for a 'trick-or-a treat.'

Halloween is nearly here, so keep the apple cider warm because the spookiest day of the year is next Thursday, October 31.

Second in popularity to Christmas, Halloween originally was referred to as All Hallows' Eve that was recognize on October 31, the day before All Saints Day, November 1 that was created by Christians as an attempt to convert pagans. It's also the day when Catholic vigils are held honoring all saints known and unknown.

As one of the world's oldest celebrations dating back to pagan times that honor the dead, Halloween is thought to have originated with the 5th century Celtic Festival of Samhain. The Gaelic word Samhain means 'summer's end,' marking the New Year on October 31 that celebrates the end of the harvest season in preparation for the winter in Gaelic culture.

It is during this festival that the Celts, with long-held beliefs that boundaries of the dead and living overlapped on October 31st, would dress in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off evil and mischievous spirits, believing that light will drive out the evil spirits.

With Irish traditions surrounding Halloween, it is thought that in the late 19th century that an influx of Irish immigrants brought with them traditions of the Celtic and Christian holiday to America.

Today Halloween has many versions and origins, depending on different cultures throughout the world.

Secular traditions of modern-day Halloween in America include community based events characterized by children dressing up in costumes, ringing doorbells in their neighborhood asking for a 'trick or treat,' attending costume parties, and eating sweet treats.

So, have a devilishly fun Halloween and forget the tricks because there's nothing scary about this treat for chocolate cream pie, which will disappear instantly at your Halloween-after party by even the scariest little witches, ghosts and ghouls.

Creepy-Crawly Chocolate Cream Pie

28 Oreo Halloween Orange Cream cookies

3 TBSP butter, melted

8 oz softened cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

¼ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

3 TBSP. powdered sugar

Pull apart the 28 Oreo cookies, putting aside the part with the cream and crush to form fine crumbs. Mix in melted butter and press into a 9" pie dish. Bake 6 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool completely. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, milk and vanilla until fluffy. Carefully spread the mixture into the prepared cookie crust.

Topping:

Beat together the heavy cream and powdered sugar until firm. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Chill in the refrigerator before decorating.

Spider Web Design:

3 orange cream Oreo cookies

Wilton's Ready-to-use Gel- black (Michael's Arts and Crafts)

Black string licorice

Candy eyeballs (Michael's Arts and Crafts)

Candy color sprinkles

Scrape some of the orange cream off a few of the remaining cookies and add it to three cookies to make a mound. Design a spider-web pattern on the cream topping. Use a bit of the orange cream on the tip of a toothpick to place the candy eyeballs in place. Cut the string licorice into small strips and place them to create legs, as shown in the photo. Decorate the edges with Halloween candy color sprinkles.